Operating mechanism for washing-machines.



J. A. GROVE. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Patented Sept. 25, I900.

(Application filed Feb. 3, 1900.)

UNITE STATES ATENT FFICE JOHN A. GROVE, OF BLUFFTON, INDIANA.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,485, dated September 25, 1900.

Application filed February 3, 1900- Serial No. 3,853. (No model.)

To a w/tom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JOHN A. GROVE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blufiton, in the county of Wells and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Mechanism for Washing- Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertain's to make and use the same.

This invention belongs to that type of actuating mechanisms designed most especially for washing-machines, churns, and the like where an alternate rotary movement in opposite directions is desirable, and which is of especial advantage in washing-machines, as it dislodges the dirt and quickly removes it from the meshes of the fabric.

A vital feature of the invention is the provision of a mechanism noiseless in action, effective in operation, easily manipulated, and adjustable to compensate for wear.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to. be had to the following description and the drawings hereto attached.

Vhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention are necessarily SUSCGP.

tible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the mechanism operatively related. Fig. 2 is a transverse section. Fig. Sis a detail view of the standard, guide, and bolt for adj ustably connecting the guide to the standard, the parts being separated and disposed in a group.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The body of the washing-machine, churn, or analogous device is indicated by the reforence-numeral 1 and is closed by the cover 2,

to which the driving mechanism is applied' The dasher-shaft 3 passes through an opening in the cover and is provided at its upper end with a metallic tip 4;, terminating in a with the teeth of the pinion 8.

journal 5, which obtains bearing in a lateral .opening therein through which the shaft 3 passes.

Brackets 11 are secured to the cover 2 and have bearings at their upper ends in which is journaled a shaft 12, provided at its outer end with a balance-wheel13 and at its inner end with a crank-arm 14. A slide 15 is mounted to reciprocate longitudinally with reference to the standard 7 and is connected by pitman 16 with the wrist of the crank-arm 14, by means of which areciprocating movement is imparted thereto when the mechanism is in operation. The slide ispreferably constructed of wood, so as to be noiseless in operation, and comprises a series of cogs 17 to engage with corresponding cogs of the pinion 8. The cogs 17 consist of wooden pins spaced apart and secured at their ends in upper and lower bars spaced apart for their reception and connected at their extremities in any substantial manner.

The guides 18, which direct the slide 15 in its reciprocating movements, have adjustable connection with the vertical members of the standard 7 and are shiftable laterally and vertically-laterally to compensate for Wear between the cogs 17 and the teeth of the pinion 8 and vertically to bring new portions of the cogs 17 into position for engagement Bolts or like fastenings 19 connect the guides 18 with the members of the standard 7 in the required adjusted position. In order toprovide for the relative lateral adjustment of the guides 18, the latter are formed with transversely 18 necessary to attain the desired end. The lateral arms of the guides 18 are inwardly deflected at their outer ends, so as to embrace the outer side of the slide 15 and hold it in engagement with the pinion 8.

The slide 15 and crank-arm 14 are of such relative length that rotary movement imparted to the shaft 12 will cause a reciprocation of the slide 15, whereby the dasher-shaft 3 will have an oscillatory movement imparted thereto. Itis not necessary that the pinion 8 have teeth extending entirely around its periphery, since the dasher does not make a complete revolutionin either direction. Hence a portion of the circumference of the pinion is devoid of teeth. The cogs 17 of the slide 15 being of Wood their engagement with the I teeth of the pinion is noiseless. Hence the clacking incident to driving mechanism of this class is wholly obviated and the wear reduced to the smallest amount possible.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In operating mechanism for washing-machines and the like, a pinion secured to the dasher-shaft, a reciprocating slide cooperating with said pinion and a vertically and laterally adjustable guide for said slide, substantially as set forth.

2. In operating mechanism for washing-machines and the like, a pinion applied to the dasher-shaft, a slide having cogs adapted to cooperate with the teeth of the pinion, means for imparting a reciprocating movement to the slide, vertically and laterally adjustable specified. 4. In combination a standard having anofiset portion,a dasher-shaft journaled in said offset portion of the standard and provided with a pinion, a reciprocating slide cooperating with said pinion and guides for the slide having adjustable connection with the aforesaid standard, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination, asocket, adasher-shaft, having a journal at its upper end, a pinion secured to the dasher-shaft and having a pendent tubular extension obtaining bearing in the said socket, a standard receiving the journal at the upper end of the dasher-shaft, guides having adjustable connection with the standard, a slide mounted in the guides and cooperating with the aforesaid pinion and directed in its movements by the aforementioned guides, and means forimparting a reciprocating movement to the slide, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. GROVE. [n s.]

Witnesses:

A. R. GROVE, JOHN Moon 

